Crooked Billet pub, Billet Road, Chadwell Heath
There has been a ‘Crooked Billet‘ pub at Padnall Corner since 1850, the first residents are likely to have been Foster Threadgold, inn keeper, his wife Jane and their 3 sons and 2 daughters.
Certainly Mr Threadgold (Fridgold) was the landlord accused of Sunday Trading:
On 26 Aug 1854 at the Ilford Petty Session there was a general meeting of licensing victuallers. The room was apparently ‘crowded to excess’. The chairman requested the Inspector of Police for the various districts to advise on whether there had been any complaints made against any of the houses. There had been only three, The Green Gate, Plaistow, Marks Gate Dagenham and the Crooked Billet Padnalls Corner.
All had convictions for Sunday trading. The first 2 received cautions but the landlord of the Crooked Billet had been convicted of Sunday Trading for the previous three successive years. The Bench suspended hs license for two weeks while they considered its renewal.
In Oct of the same year Foster Fridgold was summoned by the police at Ilford Petty Sessions. The police reported that on Sun 10 Oct 1858 at about a quarter to twelve o’clock, they entered teh defendent’s house by the back door and found five persons in the front room and six in the back room. They were all men and all were smoking and drinking.
The defendant asked the Chairman “If I and my wife go to church on a Sunday morning whether the police are legally right in making a forcible entry into my house in my absence?” The Chairman answered “you must leave some one in charge of your premises to admit the police if necessary. I am very glad to hear of your going to church, but you are, no doubt guilty in this instance. You are fined the mitigated penalty of £3 and costs.”
UPDATE: Nov 2013, permission has been granted for the demolition of the pub with 8 houses to be built in its place.
UPDATE: The houses have now been built.
Hi clare
The crooked billet was like a second home to me and my family my father also worked there Wilfred,so many memories that I will always cherish
My father Patrick John Walker used to drink in this pub around 1959 to early 1960s as we lived opposite in Padnall Court Anyone who knew Pat please give me a shout as he died in June 1962 suddenly
Hi Phil,
I have only just found this site and read it with great interest. I have been to the pub as is wasn’t too far from where I lived. I am a distant relative of Jane Threadgold through her sister Sarah who visited for the 1871 Census.So despite Sunday Trading in 1858 it seems that the family carried on trade at the pub for many a year. Very interesting and sad it is no longer there.
Sorry I meant related through Sarah’s brother Foster Threadgold the publican not his wife. Foster is listed in several Census as Inn Keeper and farmer from the 1851 census onwards at the Crooked Billet. He died in 1877 and is interred locally.
I think my great uncle Abraham Pye ran this pub 1917 to 1937 , can anyone confirm this please
My late father in law, Dennis Cripps used to play the piano in the saloon bar at the Billet from the late 60s to about the mid 70s. He played there every Friday/Saturday night and Sunday lunchtimes.
Thank you for the additional information. If you have any photos you would like to add then please let us know, via the contact us.
Admin
To Barbara or any of her family. My father , Harry Archer painted a picture of the Bilit, and it hung behind the salon, bar. Do you still have this picture? I am on Facebook. and I live in Dagenham.
[Admin: Email address removed but your message has been forwarded to Barbara’s email address]
Hello, requiring information about landlords in the crooked billet chadwell heath after the Hinson family left, to my knowledge Tony Parmenter and Billy Malendine were in charge, I would like to question about a Mr John Pagram. Just for nostalgia sakes.
It was a second home to my family,so many memories it was a lovely pub run and used by nice people Phil Sheehan
Hi Phil,
Thanks for contacting us. If you or any one else has any photos of Crooked Billet you want to share, please contact us.
GenPals
I am a little slow with e-mails, just read message about my pub. went past there only two days ago, it is my home and always will be. I left a message on the front door to say I lived here once please look after it, all my bunnies and gold fish are buried in the garden, and that massive willow tree my mum actually planted, it was given to her by one of our cleaning ladies “Flo”. I have so many lovely memories from there and there are so many people I have loved and lost, we just had such a wonderful time especially at Christmas. I will try and find some photos of how it used to be when I was little, I know I have loads. I will end on this note I guarantee when they pull her down there are so many lovely ghosts that still remain cause they never wanted to leave at the last bell !!!!! You can pull the bricks down but you can’t take away the life. God bless xx
Thanks again Clare, I’m emailing you direct – GenPals
Hello Clare the pub is no longer standing,it is now a building site such a shame it was once a thriving part of the community.i have so many wonderful memories of working there as well as being a patron.best wishes to you and family.Helen x
MyHusband Dennis and I were `licensee`s of the `Billet`for 27 years from March1967 to June 1992.We had some marvellous times and I am sad to hear that it has been demolished. Memories, my youngest daughter was only 3 when we first took over there, She and her sister have very fond memories of a very happy childhood there, She is distraught at its demise.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for your comment. The building is still there and up for sale at least it was last time I went past it a short time ago. If you have any photos you would like me to post of the pub ‘as it was’ and as a memory to the good times please contact me via the ‘Contact us’ here
GenPals
Hi Barbara i worked for you and Dennis i too have very fond memories of the pub such a shame to see it go.to be honest it did go downhill after you left.you and Dennis were the best landlords ever it was a joy to work with you both.kind regards Helen xx
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